Desk



-Aug. 18, 1936. J. LTGHTFOQT DESK Filed June 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 18, 1936. J'LIGHTi-OQT 2,051,490

DESK

Filed June 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN Leo] Lig/zff BY A TTORNEYZS.

1936. L. J. LIGHTFOOT 2,051,490

DESK

' Filed June 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r INVEN TOR.

E f L as L/y/ztfaat Y BY j b A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DESK Leo J. Lightfoot, Grand Rapids, assignor to American Seating Company; Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 14, 1935,. Serial No. 26,586

Claims.

The instant invention relates to desks and more particularly to desks having a top portion which is adjustably tiltable and which is forwardly and rearwardly adjustably slidable.

The structure of the instant invention is of thegeneral character shown in United States Letters. Patent ,No.. 2,016,571, issued October 8, 1935, on application filed December 24, 1934, by Glenn. J. Barrett and by him assigned to my W assignee.

The primary objects-of the present invention are to provide a structure of the general character above indicated which is particularly well I adapted for use in the school room; to provide such a structure whose desk top is amply adjustable both forwardly and rearwardly as well as upwardly and downwardly; to provide such a structure whose use by the school pupil is designed to economize. eye strain; to provide such a structure having means for maintaining the desk top in angularly adjusted position; to provide such astructure having means for releasing the desk top from locked angularly adjusted position; to provide such a structure whose desk top serves as a lid for the book compartment of the desk; and, to provide such a structure which is utilitarian in use and economical in manufacture.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a school desk showing the desk top in one of its angularly adjusted positions;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the school desk showing in dotted lines the desk top in two of its slid and angularly adjusted positions;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanism for maintaining the desk top in angularly adjusted position together with means for locking the desk top in angularly adjusted position and for releasing the desk top from such angularly adjusted position, the section being on line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a sectional View thereof on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional Viewon line 55 of Figure 6;

Figure 6 is a sectional view thereof on line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a sectional view on line 1-1 of Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary top plan View of the school desk showing the cover in upwardly tilted position.

Referring now to these drawings in which like parts of the structure shown are designated by the same numerals in. the several views, a desk is here shown asof the school type with a conventional wooden or metal bottom I0, upstand- 5 ing opposite ends I2, and sides I3, I4 forming at book compartment or box; A pair of guide members I5, Iii, here shown as metal rods, are respectively secured to the opposite ends II, I2

along their respective outside surfaces and in 10' spaced relation thereto in any suitable manner as by brackets I best. shown in Figure: 3.; A pair ofv plates I8, I9, preferably of stamped sheet metal, are provided with oppositely disposed depending tongues 29 The two tongues of each plate; are formed to slidably embrace rods I5, l6 respectively and an equalizing member 2| of considerable width is interposed between and secured to the inwardly flanged portion 22 of each plate I8, |9 in any'sui-table manner'as by 29 screws 23. c v v I Binge; members likewise of stamped" sheet metal and each having depending segmental portions 26, 21 are respectively pivotally secured to the plates I8, I9 and each hinge member is pro- 25 vided with an inwardly flanged portion 28 to which the desk top 29 is secured as by screws 30.

The depending segmental portion 21 of the hinge member is provided with ratchet teeth 3| and a lever 32 interposed between the plate I9 and segmental portion 21 of the hinge member is pivotally secured to the plate I9 as by the pintle 33 and as best shown in Figure 3. This lever is provided with a curled projecting upper end extending through an opening of the cover 35 members 35 and forming a detent 34 adapted to be normally swung by the spring 36 into engagement with the ratchet teeth 3| for maintaining the desk top in angularly adjusted position as best shown in Figure 3 and as indicated in Figures l and 2. By manually shifting the detent 34 against the tension of the spring 36, it is released from the ratchet teeth 3| which lock the desk top 29 in adjusted angular position, permitting the desk top to drop.

Secured as by a rivet 38 to each plate I8, l9 on the outside thereof and adjacent the respective depending segmental portions 26,21 of each hinge member is a friction disc 39 of raw hide or the like as best shown in Figure 4. The cover members 35 for each plate I8, I9 forming a housing for the hinge mechanism are each provided with a portion here shown as a friction disc 4| secured thereto as by the rivet 38 adapted to engage the respective depending segmental portions 26, 21

7 lar positions by means of the ratchet and detent' mechanism hereinbefore described and as shown V the desk top and or the hingemembers, likewise as best shown in Figure 4. These cover members 35 are preferably adjustably secured to the plates l8, l9 by screws 43' which adjustably control the tension of the discs 39, 4| on oppositesides of the depending segmental portions 26, 21 of the hinge members. In operatiom'since the desk top v29 is hingedly connected to the plates [8, l9 which are slidably 'mounted upon the guide members or rods I5, IS,

the desk top shown infull linesin Figure 2 may be'raised and held'in either of the adjusted anguin dotted lines in the same figure by either raising the desk top as thus indicated or by raising sliding it forwardly as likewise indicated. 7 V V s It will thus be seen that a ldesk top here shown as of the school type has been herein illustrated i and described whose use tends to minimize eye strain and 'whose top' alone servesas a book compartment of the-desk.-

While but one specific embodimentof the invention has been herein shown and described,

it will'be understood that numerous details of the a construction shown may'be'altered or omitted without departin g from the spirit of thisinvention as defined by the following claims.

I claim: r I

In a structure "of the class described, a desk top support having parallel guide members disposed adjacent opposite ends thereof, a plate slidablysecured to each guide member, a hinge member pivotally secured to each' plate, and a desk top secured to the hinge members, one of said hinge members having a segmental portion,

and spring tensionedf means normally 'urged against the segmental portion for maintaining the desk top in angularly adjusted position. 7

2. In a structure of the class described, a desk top support having parallel guide members disposed adjacent opposite ends thereof,'a plate slidably secured toeach guide member, a hinge mem-J ber pivotally secured't'o each plate, and a desk top secured to the hinge members, one of said hinge members having a segmental portion, and a spring tensioned lever normally urged against the segmental portion for maintaining the desk top in angularly adjusted position. 7

3. In a structure of the class described, a desk top support having parallel guide members 'disposed adjacent opposite ends thereof, a plate slidably secured to each guide member, a hinge mem- V ber pivotally secured to each plate, and a deskL top secured to the hinge members, one of said hinge members having a segmental portion provided with ratchet teeth, and spring tensioned;

means secured to the plate adjacent the segmental 'portion adapted to normally engage said ratchet desk top in angularly teeth for maintaining the adjusted position. 7

4. In a structure of the class described, a desk top support having parallel guide members disposed adjacent opposite ends thereof, a plate slidably secured to eachguide member, a hinge member pivotally secured to each plate, and a desk top secured to the hinge members, one of said hinge members havinga segmental portion pro' vided with ratchet teeth and spring tensioned means normally urged into engagement with said ratchet teeth for maintaining the. desk top in angularly adjusted position. 7

5.'In a structure of .the class described, a desk top support having parallel guide members dis- 

